NASSCO Delivers Second Mobile Landing Platform

U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) took delivery of the second Mobile Landing Platform, USNS John Glenn (MLP-2) on Tuesday, according to an announcement of builder General Dynamics NASSCO.

The 764-foot John Glenn — like its predecessor USNS Montford Point (MLP-1) — is based on an Alaska-class crude oil carrier design and is planned to be a centerpiece of the Navy’s and U.S. Marine Corps future seabasing plans.

The ship can take on sea water and lower itself in the water to allow Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) hovercraft to take on rolling stock and other material from other MSC ships joined by a bridge between both ships.

There are plans in the works to allow the MLP to dock with the Navy’s Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSVs) and other types of landing craft.

Following delivery, John Glenn will travel to Vigor Marine in Portland, Ore for installation of LCAC lanes and other features for the deck of the ship.

The next variant of the design, the planned Lewis B. Puller will be built as an Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB-1) to replace the former amphibious warship USS Ponce (AFSB-I) currently on station in the Middle East.

Related

About USNI News Editor

Sam LaGrone is the USNI Online Editor at the U.S. Naval Institute.
He was formerly the U.S. Maritime Correspondent for the Washington D.C. bureau of Jane’s Defence Weekly and Jane’s Navy International. In his role he covered legislation, acquisition and operations for the Sea Services and spent time underway with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Canadian Navy.
Sam is a 2003 graduate of Virginia Military Institute.